Car-signal



(No Model J' O.. LKNAP & O F CAWTHON- CAR SIGNAL.

No. 440,127. Patented Nov. 11, 1890.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE@ JACKSON O. BELKNAP AND ORVILLE F. CAWTHON, OF MOBILE, ALABAMA.

C A R S I G N A L SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 440,12'7, dated November 11, 1890.

Application filed April 26, 1890: Serial No. 349,(38036. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, J ACKsON O. BELKNAP and ORVILLE F. CAWTHON, citizens of the United States, residing at Mobile, in the county of Mobile and State of Alabama, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Signals. of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvenents in audible car-signals designed with special reference for use on street-railway cars, whereby the approachof hlcar will be known by the ringing of the Letters Patent N o. 421327 were granted to us February 11, 1890, for car-sign als, in which the connection of the bell with the axle was a rigid one, so that the ringing was effected by the vibrations of the clapper as the bell turned over and over with the revolutions of the axle.

The present invention involves a flexible connection between the bell and the axle, whereby the bell itself as well as the clapper will be capable of vibration as it travels around with the aXle.

The present invention also involves the provision of a spring or yielding stop, which limits the vibration of the bell and causes such a reaction as to increase the number of taps by the clapper.

In the acconpanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and on which like reference-letters indicate correspondingparts, Figure 1 represents a sectional View of a caraxle, a bell, and intermediate connections involving our invention; Fig. 2, an elevation of the same parts; Fig. 3,a side View of the bell and attachments and a section of the axle; and Fig. 4, a similar view to Fig. 2, save that the bell is in the position of just passing over the axle, a modified form of the clanp being shown in this View.

The letter A refers to a car-aXle of the ordinary or any approved kind, the letter B a portion of a car-wheel, and the letter C a part of the car-track. A clamp consisting of halves D and E, each having lugs F and G and F' and G', is clamped to the aXle by bolts and nuts or screws H and I.

In the lugs G' eyes J are formed for the reception of a pivot-bolt K, upon which the bell is hung. This clanp may be made of sheet or cast metal, malleable iron being preferred.

In Fig. 2 the lug G' is shown as having an eye at each side with a space between them, in which the head L of the bell is placed. In Fig. 4: the clanp is narrower, and the eye J is extended across the entire width of the lug G' and the head L placed to one side of the eye instead of between the two eyes. In either case the connection is formed by the bolt K passing through the head L of the bell. This connection between the bell and the axle is a pivotal one-that is to say, the clanp rigidly grasps the axle and the bell is pivotally connected with the clamp.

The bell itself is designated at M, and is ot the ordinary type so far as concerns the formation of the body thereof. By preference the head L is formed separate from the bell and provided with a threaded shank O, held by a nut P and having an opening to receive the wire Q of the clapper R. A yielding or spring stop is preferred as a means of limiting the vibrations or swinging of the bell. A convenient form of such stop is shown at S, being in the form of a spring-bow, Secured to the bell by being placed between the head L and the body of the bell, and having the shank O passed therethrough. The ends of this spring-stop are adapted to strike against the clanp or aXle and arrest the Vibration of the bell. The reaction of thespring 'causes a Vibration of the bell in the opposite direction from that in which it is arrested, resulting in multiplying the number of taps given by the clapper. This increases the audibility of the bell and will enable a smaller and less expensive bell to attract as much attention as a larger and more costly one.

We wish to be understood as contemplating the onission of the spring-stop in some instances, but preserving the pivotal or vibratory connection of the bell. Again, when a spring is used, it may act on one or both sides of the connection of the bell, and it may have a different form from that shown and described. WVe do not wish to be understood as limiting ourselves as to the arrangenent or form in this respect, nor to other matters IOO of detaii, which will be obvious to the mechanic in View; of the teachings of this specification.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, with a car-aide and an audible signal actuated thereby, thelatter consisting of a bell, of a pivot therefor on which the bell has a' movement as the axle revolves, and a pivot-support for the bell connected to the aXIe.

2.' The combination, with a car-aide and an audible signai actuated thereby, consisting of a bell, of a pivot therefor on which the beli has a movement as the axie revolves, a support for the said pivot connected to the axle, and a spring-stop acting to limit the vibrations of the bell on its pivot and to cause a reaction to muitiply the number of taps of the clapper.

3. The combination, with a car-axle, of an audible signal consisting of a bell, a two-part clamp secured upon the axle, and a pivot for the bell carried by the said cianp, the bell having a movenent on the pivot as the axie revolves.

4. The combination, with a car-axle and an audible signal actuated thereby,.consisting of a bell, of a two-part ciamp Secured to the axle, a pivot carried by the clanp and on which the beli is hung and has zt movement as the ,aXle revoives, and a spring-bow constituting a yieiding stop and adapted to limit the vibrations of the bell and effect a reactiou.

5. The combination, with a ciamp, of a beli, a pivot for the bell on the pivot carried by the clamp, and a spring-stop adapted to limit the vibrations of thebell with respect to theclamp 

